Hand-woven cloth and native weaves. Colorful,
environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that feature skillful
workmanship and a rich indigenous culture behind every thread. From the
pinukpok of the north to the malong of the south, it's the fiber of who
we are.

Movies. Still the cheapest form of entertainment, especially if
you watch the same movie several times.

Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, and are
thus enabled to play life by ear.

Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile, admittedly an
acquired taste, but pointing to our national ability to acquire a taste
for almost anything.

English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our
chances in the global marketplace.

The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate,
American-controlled but still the liveliest in Asia. Otherwise, we'd all
be glued to TV.

Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket's paradise, but you
can get anything here, often at rock-bottom prices. The sensory overload
is a bonus.

Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified
without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it
makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig (good-looking).

Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad
they can't say the same for Filipinos.

Filipinos. So maybe they're bolero and macho with an occasional
streak of generic infidelity; they do know how to make a woman feel like
one.

Heroes and people who stood up for truth and freedom. Lapu-lapu
started it all, and other heroes and revolutionaries followed: Jose
Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Melchora Aquino, Emilio
Aguinaldo, the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, the comfort women who
spoke up, and those who look after the welfare of their people.